Need some help with deciding value

Hi,


I was asked to take charge of a situation involving the disposition of the various software packagesowned by thecompany I worked, Solidworks being one of those software packages.However, I know nothing about Solidworks, and I've scanned around looking for answers. Having not found anything obvious, I am here asking for help. I'm not even sure that this is the correct group to post, so please bear with me.


The situation is as follows. Up until December timeframe, the company employed a couple of mechanical engineers, and had purchased licenses for Solidworks from 2006~2009. However, the mechanical aspect of the project ended, and the mechnical engineers left the company at the end of 2008. Now, one of the mechnical engineers, realizing that all the expensive software is just sitting around not being used, has returned asking if he could get Solidworks for his personal use.


My understanding of the situation is that the company in question had purchased a network license, and the previous network administrator installed it. There's apparently a USB dongle hanging on a server somewhere in the server room.


My questions are as follows:


1. Do the licenses expire? Can the engineer still use Solidworks 2009 indefinitely, as long as he has the dongle for the network license? Or should I track down the previous network administorator and find out when the license will expire?


2. This is not a resale situation, since the company is not re-selling the software on the open market, but to the engineer who had used the package previously. That being said, are there any legal ramifications involving the transfer of the license, if the company should ask for some symbolicpaymentfrom the engineer for the software?


Any assistance you may render is greatly appreciated.


David

According to SolidWorks license agreement, they only granted your company the right to use the softare.


Quote from the license agreement:


"you may not sell, license, sublicense, transfer, assign, lease or rent (including via a timeshare arrangement) the Software or the license granted by this Agreement."

Hmm. Okay. That settles that. Thanks for the reply.


David

David,

You should be able to have your VAR put in an account change request or ACR to change the Information associated with the license so that the Actual users name and information is associated with the license as long as it's not an entirely new individual. Usually SolidWorks requires an official statement from the original owner proving that it is being taken over by another contact person.

The license however should work till 2099 and the Dongle device attached to the license server can be moved and then reread the license file into the new machine. As long as you do this through official channels your VAR or SolidWorks customer center, what you are looking to do will be legal.

Michael

I found the box that the Solidworks was shipped to, and it was shipped to the guy who now wants the package. So it won't be hard to explain that he and the company have parted ways, but he's keeping the software.


Thanks for the help. I'll go find the VAR and the customer service folks


David